Good morning Summer Glow Boot Campers! Can you believe it is already Week 3 of the SGBC? As you may have seen on the calendar, this week’s topic is all about ‘Getting Over The Hump’…aka motivation issues and how we can triumph over them!
This morning, we have a post on motivation put together by the fitness diva herself- Caitlin from Healthy Tipping Point. When I emailed Caitlin, I knew that she was my go-to girl whenever I think about motivation to keep on top of my fitness. Whether she is running a 15-mile trail race or biking 60-miles, she never fails to inspire and renew my love for an active lifestyle!
Take it away, Caitlin! :)
Staying Motivated When The Going Gets Tough
You decide to eat healthier or exercise more, and although you tackle your goal head on for the first few weeks, soon you’re ready to throw in the towel. And even though you really, really want to stay on track, you find yourself sabotaging your goals – sleeping in needlessly on the weekends when you could be outside or ordering a large ice cream instead of a small. You wish you could bottle up some will power and take a small dose everyday! Sound familiar?
De-motivation is a normal part of the New Habit Journey.
The New Habit Journey is not a linear path – in fact, it has twists and turns, sudden halts, and sometimes it even goes backwards. Achieving any lifestyle change includes five components:
- Inspiration Moment: The inspiration moment can be one watershed instance, or it can be a slow build. But suddenly, for whatever reason, you want to CHANGE! Maybe you stepped on the scale at the doctor’s office and saw a scary high number. Maybe you’re trying to get pregnant. Or maybe you’re motivated to finally run a 5K race. When you experience an Inspiration Moment, it is important to SIEZE on this positive energy! Don’t wait until the next week to “start” running, eating better, quitting smoking… do it right now! Yes, right now. Don’t just talk the talk, walk the walk.
- The Gun-Ho Period: Most people will experience a gun-ho period that lasts approximately two weeks to a month when trying to make a lifestyle change. At first, your change is exciting and interesting. You’re still riding high on your Inspiration Moment. As you did for your Inspiration Moment, appreciate and embrace this zest for your New Habit! But, you want to be careful not to get overly enthusiastic. It’s easier to adopt a habit for the long-term if you slow integrate it into your life, figuring out how to make the change work for you and not against you. Make your initial goals small and manageable. By vowing to work out three times a week instead of six, you’re building in room for error as you adopt to a lifestyle change. Many people feel discouraged if they cannot be “perfect,” so don’t ask yourself to be!
- De-motivation: Despite your best intentions, most people will be hit by de-motivation several weeks into their New Habit Journey. Let’s face it – making lifestyle changes are hard, and temptations to slack of are everywhere. De-motivation can just occur over time, or it can be caused by a break from your normal schedule. Holidays, special events, and vacations force you to deviate from your new routine. Anticipate these De-Motivation hotspots by coming up with a "healthy game plan" ahead of time. If you fall “off the wagon,” don’t throw in the towel! Remember that something is always better than nothing. If you don’t want to go to the gym, try going for a walk, doing sit-ups in front of the TV, or dancing around your living room. If you’re on vacation and want to enjoy the local food, splurge at dinner and maintain your diet for breakfast and lunch. The worst thing you can do is give up just because you can’t be at the top of your game.
- Re-coop: Not everyone reaches the point of Re-Coop. Many people enter De-Motivation and never come out. But, if you want to make a lifestyle change, you must emerge from de-motivation stronger and more intent on your goal. Re-coop involves bouncing back from minor setbacks and reminding yourself that it’s your OVERALL progress that matters. If you’re in De-Motivation and want to get back on the wagon, write down a list of why you want to change. Tape the list to your bathroom mirror and read it whenever you need some motivation. Also, talk to a close friend or your significant other about your De-Motivation and ask for support. It’s easier to stick to new habits if you’re not the only one in the boat.
- Healthy Tipping Point: The most glorious part of the New Habit Journey is the Healthy Tipping Point. A Tipping Point refers to a sociological event during which a previously rare phenomenon becomes rapidly and dramatically more common. Malcolm Gladwell wrote a book called The Tipping Point, and he describes the Tipping Point as "the levels at which the momentum for change becomes unstoppable."
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Thank you Caitlin!
Even though I didn’t realize it for many years, I now know that consistency is key to long-term change. It can be frustrating when we don’t see change as quickly as we would hope. The most important thing I have learned is that if I am consistent with my exercise, I will eventually see pay-offs, even if they do not come as fast as I want them to.
For example, I used to be able to run for only 1 minute before stopping and walking. One minute. I hated running for this reason. I hated it with a passion. It wasn’t fun or enjoyable when I was gasping for breath all the time. In the past, I didn’t treat my body right and I didn’t treat my overall health properly. In fact, I ignored it. It seems funny to me now that I ever expected my body to give back to me when I didn’t give it what it needed to succeed- proper fuel, nutrition, rest, and love!
But eventually, I started to treat myself better. I became more patient and kind to my body and in return my body responded better than I could ever have dreamed it would. Before I knew it, I was running 5 minutes at a time, and then 1 mile at a time, and now I can run for over 1 hour without stopping to walk. Because of our busy lives, sometimes we forget to pay attention to small changes that are occurring! It didn’t even click with me until recently how little endurance I had when I used to run and how much I have changed. I was so busy focusing on improving my pace or my goals, that I forgot to appreciate the journey.
I think if we all stopped to write down a couple things that we appreciate about our own progress we wouldn’t feel that twinge of de-motivation as severely. We could simply consult the things we have accomplished and recognize that change is happening, even if it is small. Because when you think of it, a handful of small changes lead to one BIG change and before we know it we have reached our goal.
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The wonderful Amazing Grass is at it again! Today marks the first of three Amazing Grass giveaways for Summer Glow Boot Camp. You can read about the other two giveaways here…you won’t believe what the 2nd and grand prize draws are for- nothing short of AMAZING!!!
Up for grabs today:
- Sample of the Amazing Grass packets,
- Amazing Grass T-shirt, and
- A shaker (my all time favourite Green Monster container!)
How to enter: You must leave a comment on this post telling us two positive changes you have made to your health and/or fitness in the past month or two. We need to start appreciating the journey and stop being so hard on ourselves all the time! If you hit a hump or ‘De-motivation’ refer back to your changes to renew your faith in your goals. Contest open to US and Canadian residents only. Contest closes Tuesday July 14, 2009 at 11pm EST. One entry per person.
Want a second entry? Simply link back to this giveaway on your blog or email someone about the Amazing Grass contest making sure to copy me on the email ([email protected]).
Even though I can’t participate, I will still answer the question:
1) I have drastically improved my side planks! I can now do advanced side planks without so much as the blink of an eye, whereas before I couldn’t even hold myself up at all! It is fun to feel strong.
2) I ran my first 10 race ever mid-June 2009 and I am running in my second race- a 10-miler– this Sunday!
Goodluck to all participants! :) See you this afternoon for some exciting news!
I have been reading your blog for a couple of weeks now and I just wanted to let you know its very motivating and inspiring.
A few changes I have recently made.
-I changed the way I eat. No more preservatives. All natural ingredients. Anything I eat now has a purpose, to fuel my body.
-I have never been a runner. I finally completed my first 5k without stopping.
I do think we need to stop and remind ourselves the small/big changes we have made. They add up! I stopped drinking all ‘pop’/’coke’ 1 1/2 years ago. It is a permanent change. I will not go back to drinking them. (former diet coke junkie)
The past 2 months I have been drinking green monsters.
Drinking a lot more water. I strive for 1/2 of my body weight in ounces per day!
Thanks for this giveaway!
1. I’ve started making more adventurous green monsters. Yesterday mine had carrots in it!
2. I’ve been cooking dinners for my family that are made with whole foods–and they love them! :-)
THANK YOU for this post and Caitlin’s contribution – exactly what I needed today! :-)
For my two changes I achieved in the last couple of weeks:
1) I consistently work out 3x a week, plus go for a swim or a run every other day. This is huge for me because I feel very self-conscious about my swimming/running. But I finally realized that I have to practice in order to improve, and that it takes time and dedication to create new habits and skills.
2) I was finally able to identify some of the negative things that held/hold me back. Now I am much more positive and feel so much better about myself! Reading the OSG-blog definitely helps :-)
Thanks Angela, keep up the great work!
Great post! Sometimes we get so caught up in what will make us happy that we forget how far we have come:)
In the last couple months I have:
1. Started eating more WHOLE foods!
2. Toned up.. woo hoo!
I have started taking control of my health by listening to my body and tapping into and trusting my own intuition. In addition I have recently sought help in getting rid of a parasite that I have had for a few years I am following a specific diet as well as herbal remedies…I truly believe that this is the best investment that I can make in my 20’s! I have a very supportive naturopath who I took a long time finding as well as an RHN (Registered Holistic Nutritionist). I would love to win some amazing grass products!
Thank you!
Katherine
Angela, I am loving this SGBC!! Thank you!
Two positive changes that I have made is
1. Transitioning to a plant-based diet.
2. Added more strength exercises to my daily routine.
It is really amazing to see how every person commenting on this post has made some steps towards bettering their own lives – think about the chain of reaction that has started with this blog. Incredible!
The two biggest changes I have made in the last two months have been:
1. Having fun in the kitchen – I have a different GM every day and I make at least 1-2 new recipes each week. BF has been the lucky “guinea pig.”
2. Got back into a regular strength training/cardio/yoga routine of 4-5 times per week, including getting back into teaching yoga once a week.
My positive changes:
1. I started strength training 2-3 times per week.
2. I’ve been steadily upping my intake of fruits and veggies.
Two Positive changes I have made:
1)Enjoying a GM EVERY day. It has been such an amazing addition to my day… I’m already freaking out about what I’m going to do while travelling for NINE months!! (Ideas, anyone?)
2)I have changed how I think about my body. Instead of looking at myself and finding my flaws and wishing it would all change, I now look at myself and see all the beautiful parts, while STRIVING for a better me.
1) I have started ballet lessons, and although I’m terrible it is great stretching and great motivation to get moving in a new way!
2) I have cut down considerably on social drinking and am now much happier with one or two glasses than the many that would ruin my head the next morning before!!
1. I’m only allowed to watch tv if I’m riding my bike.
2. I do some form of light exercise for 20 minutes before every meal.
Two positive changes:
1) I’ve started half-marathon training, even though 6 months ago I was doing the C25K…I’m already up to 6 (slow) miles without walking!
2) Started experimenting with raw foods – particularly zuchinni which I never really liked at all, but raw (and spiralized) I now love!
– CJ
Wow, good luck with your ten miler this Sunday!
1. Exercise has more benefits than just physically, I reap so many rewards from exercise. If I want to have a good day? It simply requires exercise!
2. Treat your body right. When I started exercising and become an athlete, I knew I needed to fuel correctly! Thank goodness to all the health food blogs out there!
:)
Love ya and your blog, Ange, and thanks for having Caitlin post!
Have a great week,
Courtney
1.) I cut back on my sugar intake and have much more energy!
2.) I strayed away from my comfortable “typical” exercise routine and have found other ways to enjoy exercising!
1. I have upped my workouts (2x a day when I can!) and began strength training with my BF. I love how strong and active I feel.
2. I am working on being kinder to myself in all areas. I do what I can, when I can, and I’m working on letting that be “good enough”
What a perfect topic, motivation is my whole reason for joining the SGBC. My positive changes are 1) not being so lazy. I take the stairs more often and get up and actually cook instead of throwing something in the microwave or ordering out because I don’t want to waste my hard work by doing the same old thing. And 2) I have actually worked out at home (considering I was on an 8 month break from excercise it’s impressive) I used to feel that I had to go to the gym in order to get anything productive done. Now, I realize that doing something is way better than nothing. Even small changes are changes! Thanks for the inspiration Angela!
I just wanted to say thank you to both Angela and Caitlin for this post on motivation. It is literally the reason that I made it to the gym today. I woke up in a bad mood, and I was in the process of talking myself out of exercising today when I read this post. It made all the difference and I’m in a much better mood now. Thanks so much for all that you ladies do!
Two positive changes I have made recently are:
1) incorporating green monsters as a regular in my weekly menus ;)
2) doing exactly what I *want* to do for exercise rather than feeling like I *should* go to the gym and do X,Y & Z. If a long walk is appealing then I will go for a long walk and enjoy every moment. I can sweat like crazy tomorrow. :)
1. I have started, or rather stoped eating when I was bored or just wanted something in my mouth. So I have been feeding my body better.
2. In general, I have just been trying to take better care of myself. I take a few more minutes to prepare for the morning so I don’t have to stress, or get outside when I just want to lounge in front of the couch.